Owner saves dogs from burning building

Firefighters from Free Soil/Meade Fire Dept. work in the smoke, trying to put the fire out.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. 

MEADE TWP. — Ron Krepps was working in his shop around 7 p.m. when he noticed a lot of smoke coming from another building on his property at 7979 N. Reid Road. When he went outside he saw that the building that housed his dogs’ kennel was on fire. Krepps was able to get the dogs out of the building, but two of them ran off after he stumbled on the ice.

He warned his wife, Lois, of the fire and then he attempted to fight it with a hose while she called 911. The fire was too intense and singed his eyebrows.

Shortly after, the Free Soil/Meade Fire Department arrived.

“I’m really not sure what started it,” Lois Krepps said. “The only thing that would have been turned on was a freezer.” The building housed a wood stove — which was the Krepps’ primary heat source — but the stove was on the south side of the building; the fire appeared to have started on the north side.

The kennel was quickly destroyed but flames spread onto a nearby building that housed wood and a lot of antique furniture. While Free Soil/Meade firefighters were able to contain the initial fire, they called in assistance from Grant Twp. Fire Dept. to help get the other fire under control.

“I’m thankful that the wind wasn’t blowing any stronger and that the fire didn’t spread to our house,” Lois said.

Ron estimated the buildings were at least 70-years-old. He said he and Lois have lived there for over 40 years.

Lois is Meade Township supervisor and Ron is a Mason County Rural Fire Authority board member. They both agreed the firefighters did a great job putting out the fires and keeping their home safe.

Firefighters were still on the scene at 9 p.m.